Rep. Sylvester Turner’s Final Message to Donald Trump Just Hours Before His Sudden Passing:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(737x169:739x171):format(webp)/US-President-Donald-Trump-during-a-joint-session-of-Congress-in-the-House-Chamber-Houston-Mayor-Sylvester-Turner-speaks-at-the-U.S.-Conference-Of-Mayors-030525-acc401da0ffd4bc5b803542e8ba263d0.jpg)
U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner shared one last message advocating for healthcare access just before his sudden death on Wednesday, March 5.
Shortly before passing, Turner, 70, posted on X (formerly Twitter) ahead of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, writing:
“My message to the current administration for tonight’s State of the Union: ‘Don’t mess with Medicaid.’”:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/sylvester-turner-death-tout-030525-29686401ed694b76b3641845b06eb449.jpg)
A longtime advocate for healthcare reform, Turner—who served as Houston’s mayor from 2016 to 2024 and was elected to represent Texas’ 18th Congressional District—accompanied his post with a video featuring Angela Hernandez, his guest for Trump’s address to Congress. Hernandez, a mother, was there to advocate for her 2-year-old daughter, Baislee Garcia, who has a rare genetic disorder, Chromosome 8p: Inversion/Duplication/Deletion.
Turner emphasized the importance of Medicaid for families like Hernandez’s, writing:
“Any cuts to Medicaid are a direct attack on families like Angela’s. President Trump and Elon Musk’s push to gut Medicaid is nothing short of a betrayal of the most vulnerable among us. They are playing politics with children’s lives, and I will not stand for it.”
In the video, Hernandez expressed her fear about losing Medicaid, saying, “Losing Medicaid would be devastating to us.”
Turner’s Sudden Passing
According to KHOU, Turner was transported to a hospital on the evening of March 4 after attending Trump’s address to Congress but was later released. He passed away at his home in Washington, D.C., the following morning.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire expressed his shock, asking the community for prayers.
“He was a remarkable public servant who impacted millions of people. He rose from poverty but never forgot where he came from. It is a terrible loss for the city and a personal loss for me. I ask Houstonians to celebrate his life,” Whitmire said during Wednesday’s City Council meeting.
Tensions Over Medicaid During Trump’s Speech
During Trump’s address, another Texas Congressman, Rep. Al Green, was forcibly removed after protesting the administration’s proposed Medicaid cuts.
“I was making it clear to the President that he has no mandate to cut Medicaid,” Green, 77, told reporters. “I have people who are very fearful. These are poor people. And they have only Medicaid in their lives when it comes to their healthcare.”
Green further stated that he was “willing to suffer whatever punishment is available” for his protest.
Meanwhile, Trump used his speech to boast about his administration’s success, claiming:
“It has been stated by many that the first month of our presidency … is the most successful in the history of our nation. And what makes it even more impressive is that, do you know who number two is? George Washington. How about that? I don’t know about that list, but we’ll take it.”
Turner’s unexpected passing leaves a legacy of advocacy for vulnerable communities, and his final message continues to resonate amid ongoing healthcare policy debates.